I am focusing on herbaceous peonies hardy from zone 3-8, since they are perfect for Colorado seasons. The cold actually helps them with bud formation. They do not do well in warmer climates like the South.

Herbaceous peonies die back to the ground every fall. This is wonderful if you like to keep a clean flower bed during the winter. You can snip the stems about 1-3 inches off of the ground before the first frost, and you don’t have to worry about it until next year.

Since Colorado has such harsh winds and a penchance for hail in the summers, double or bomb type flower petals would be best suited. The single petal varieties may not make it a day in our neighborhood.

In 2017, Colorado Springs had category 1 and 2 hurricane winds. In 2016, we had hail storms that broke car windows and ripped the sides of houses.